Chapter 6 - Troubled Waters
They had left the dry ground behind and now cruised above a serene, nearly still ocean. Their craft flew in the bright sunlight of a newly arrived day.
"The Cajmians are the first to admit their ancestors ravaged this world leaving the surface little more than a desert," Wakernaggle said. He, Jack, and Olwen had returned to their seats.
"Though they are reluctant to go into too much detail," Gann added.
The ambassador frowned. "They've told us enough. Their past energy practices raised the average temperature of their world, which in turn raised the ocean levels. They were forced to create their wondrous sea cities just to have a place to live."
He stared at Gann. "I think they've done remarkably well accepting responsibility for their past mistakes."
"If I thought they were being completely honest with us, I would agree," the Venture's captain said.
Hank Evans touched a series of controls. "Well I'm impressed," he said as he looked out the forward window.
The runabout slowed as it approached a ten kilometer wide platform floating in the sea. Buildings of shiny blue metal crowded the upper structure while a few craft flew above the city. Waves of water splashed harmlessly at the border between sea and metal producing a mist along the metropolis' outer edge.
Hank piloted their craft through the maze of buildings toward a platform Wakernaggle had indicated. As they made their approach Jack wondered what the source of the friction between the ambassador and Captain Gann was. They obviously didn't care for one another, but there was an undercurrent in their banter that made him think it was more than a clash of personalities. These two couldn't stand to breathe the same air.
After a few minutes the runabout came to a rest and the door opened. Wakernaggle took the lead and walked them through several corridors describing the architecture and construction techniques. Jack was surprised the Cajmians let them wander about without an escort. He wondered if the presence of aliens could be that common for them.
Eventually the ambassador led them to a wide terrace off the side of a central building where a figure wearing an odd patchy blue garment stood. The six and a half foot tall creature turned about and faced them.
If Jack thought Wakernaggle looked like the walking dead he now knew the ambassador was just a poor imitation. The Cajmian who walked toward them with a grace that seemed completely out of place had what Jack could only think of as skin that appeared to be rotting. Dark lines and wrinkles covered the dull orange flesh of the creature before them. However, this being's eyes bothered Jack the most. A bright red pupil sat in the middle of a dark blue sea staring with an intensity that made it difficult to maintain eye contact with him.
"Welcome to our capital," the Cajmian said in a somber sounding voice.
Wakernaggle turned to them and smiled. "Let me introduce to you the Chairman of the Cajmian House of Nobles, the Most Honorable Beheer."
Everyone nodded politely as the human introduced each of them to the Cajmian.
Beheer turned to Hank Evans who was introduced last. "Mr. Evans, my dear friend, Pelosil of Kel-j'na, has spoken often of you. She was quite overjoyed when you rescued her daughter several years ago."
Jack and the others looked at Hank as he spoke. "I was glad I was able to find her."
"As were we all," Beheer said. "Pelosil encouraged me to grant you every courtesy if you ever graced our fair world."
"My thanks, Chairman, but for this trip I'm here to serve you."
"Quite kind as I had expected," the Cajmian replied.
Wakernaggle smiled wide. "In fact, Mr. Evans is the one who will be giving you your tour of the most powerful ship in all of Starfleet."
Beheer nodded to Hank. "I will be honored beyond measure."
Another Cajmian walked out onto the terrace and up to Beheer. The new arrival spoke in an odd language to the Chairman and then quickly left, careful not to look up from the ground as he passed them. Jack thought it odd that this one looked directly at his leader, but refused to even glance at any of them.
Beheer pointed toward the hallway they had entered from. "Shall we go?"
As Wakernaggle, Beheer, and Hank walked past him, Jack noticed Gann looking at Olwen who only shook her head. Jack figured he must have had the Betazoid try to sense Beheer's thoughts after all rather than just take the ambassador's word.
***
Several hours later, Jack found himself in the large conference room on deck Fourteen of the Chamberlain hosting an informal reception for Chairman Beheer after the tour of the ship had finished. Hank and their guest were still talking about Evans' exploits around the Kel-j'na region which seemed to be Beheer's primary interest. He'd hardly paid attention when Chief Engineer Kristen Bishop had described the functioning of the ship's power systems. He only perked up once, when Hank had explained their weapons, especially their primary weapon system.
Jack finally made his way through the crowd of fifty or so to the refreshment table when he felt something sharp at his back. He stiffened suddenly.
"You haven't changed much," a soft, but sultry voice said from behind him.
Jack smiled wide. "K'lremi."
He turned to find the golden furred Caitian retracting her claws and reaching around him for a drink of her own off the table. "How have you been, Jack," she purred.
He picked up a glass himself. "Okay, I guess."
"I hear you went and got yourself married."
He nodded.
"I guess that's why you didn't bother to say hello earlier," she said.
"You're doing well--- Gann's Exec, huh?"
She sipped her drink. "I hope to make captain in the next two years."
"You always were ambitious," he said with a grin.
"You always gave me opportunity to be so," she replied.
Jack noticed a familiar face enter the room a distance behind the Caitian. She turned to see who he was looking at and watched Mei-Wan cross the room and join Melissa Vargas in conversation.
K'lremi turned back to Jack. "That's your wife?"
"Yeah."
"She seems nice enough, I guess."
"She's more than that," Jack replied.
K'lremi took a deep breath. "Is she why I never heard from you after you got back from the prison camp?"
"Look," Jack started. "It had been over a year and we never had any kind of commitment."
She nodded as her ears straightened. "No, but you knew how I felt about you."
Jack looked down. He knew he should have contacted her. She deserved at least that.
K'lremi did her best to force her face into a smile. "It's okay, Jack. I'm not angry. I'm glad you found someone."
He looked back up, but his eyes drifted to look at Mei-Wan.
"What is it with you two?" Mei-Wan asked, exasperated.
Melissa shrugged her shoulders. "Sometimes I wonder."
"Just don't let it go so long this time."
Melissa nodded. "I'm going to go talk to him as soon as he finishes with the Corps of Engineers in about an hour. I just hope he's in the mood to talk."
Mei-Wan shook her head. "I'd like to know things are working out before I leave."
"Don't worry, knowing Lee, we'll end up in bed tonight and it'll be forgotten," Melissa said with a smile.
"Is sex how you solve all your relationship problems?" Mei-Wan asked.
"Well, not all of them."
Just as Mei-Wan was about to inquire further about that, Captain Gann walked up to them.
"Lieutenant McCall, I hear you'll be joining my crew for a while," he said.
Mei-Wan nodded. "Yes, sir."
"I'm looking forward to getting a chance to talk about your discoveries. Captain Picard mentioned in a recent message he'd gotten a chance to see your presentation about the Ancient Progenitors and was quite impressed."
"That was kind of him," Mei-Wan said.
"He always said he thought you'd be an outstanding archaeologist, but I think you've gone far beyond even his expectations."
Mei-Wan smiled and noticed Melissa grinning. "Have you met our operations officer, sir?"
Gann turned to look at Melissa Vargas. "No, I don't believe we have met."
Mei-Wan introduced them with the usual formalities and "how do you do's" and after asking Melissa about her career for several minutes, Gann turned to Mei-Wan again.
"Have you been introduced to Chairman Beheer, yet?"
Mei-Wan shook her head. "No, I just got here a little while ago."
"Then allow me the honor," Gann said as he led her toward the front of the room where Beheer was speaking to a small crowd.
"Mr. Chairman, I want you to meet one of the foremost archaeologists of the Federation, Lieutenant Mei-Wan McCall," Gann said to Beheer.
The Cajmian nodded. "A pleasure."
"I am honored," Mei-Wan replied.
"Lieutenant McCall recently uncovered evidence concerning the Ancient Progenitors, a race of beings that seeded numerous worlds with humanoid life forms billions of years ago," Gann said.
Beheer appeared uncomfortable. "Life on Cajma evolved on its own, Captain Gann."
"Agreed, but due to your body structure it's likely that your people have the same origins as many of the species of the Federation."
Beheer sneered. "Impossible. We know who we are and where we came from."
Wakernaggle who had been listening, stepped in. "Perhaps, such things would best be left to the scientists, Captain Gann."
Gann frowned. "Exploring and understanding each other's culture is a hallmark of Starfleet and the Federation, wouldn't you agree, Ambassador?"
Mei-Wan began wishing she had never let Gann walk her over to the Chairman. Obviously he had other motives besides just introducing them. She turned to Beheer.
"Speaking of your culture, what religious beliefs do your people hold, Chairman Beheer?" she asked.
The Chairman's sneer left his face and he turned to her. "Most religions have died away on our world since our cultural awakening more than six hundred of your years ago. The few that remain are either simple beliefs in a higher state of being or are the rantings of the deranged."
Wakernaggle smiled, happy the conversation had changed. "There are a number of illegal cults which from time to time attempt to disrupt Cajmian society, but the Chairman's government has taken great strides in quelling their influence."
"If I might ask," Mei-Wan started. "What are the nature of these cults' beliefs?"
"Certainly, you may ask," Beheer said. "Our people believe in the ideals of free thought and the exchange of information."
Gann rolled his eyes.
The Chairman continued, "Most are scattered groups that exist more for the mischief they cause than any set of beliefs, but one, the 'Dreamers of Agalia', has been a scourge on our people for centuries. They tell of a voice from beneath the seas that speaks in brief whispers to minds open to elevated wisdom. They say that the great Agalia sleeps, but awaits the right time and positions from the stars to awaken and rule all."
Mei-Wan thought she noticed something other than revulsion in the Chairman's voice. She almost wondered if these beliefs were held by him or at least sympathized with.
Beheer looked away a moment, but returned to Mei-Wan. "They have been known to commit murder and even worse crimes upon the innocent. Their numbers have dwindled and thankfully it has been some time since any major crimes have been attributed to them."
"That's good to hear," Wakernaggle said.
Jack watched Mei-Wan listening to the Cajmian Chairman and wondered if he had ever held her interest the way whatever Beheer was saying did.
Hank Evans walked up and grabbed a drink off the table.
"You finally get away from Beheer?" Jack asked.
"He's okay," Hank replied.
"You think he's hiding anything?"
Hank smiled. "Oh, yeah. I'm certain of that."
Jack grinned. "Okay, let's have it."
"Have what?"
"With all your sources and past travels, I'm sure you'll tell me all the secrets of Cajma," Jack said.
Hank took a long drink. "All I know about them is they pay their bills and they hate outsiders."
"I got that impression on their planet. You notice how the other Cajmian that came in wouldn't look at us?"
Hank nodded. "And how there wasn't another soul anywhere as we went to meet the Chairman."
Evans turned to Jack. "You're getting better at paying attention to detail, kid. You might make a good officer after all."
Jack shook his head. "Tell that to Gann."
"Gann's just a hard-ass, by the book type. He's actually mellowed over the years."
"What do you think of Wakernaggle?" Jack asked.
"He's a sawed off little weirdo," Hank said.
Jack laughed. "I'm actually starting to like him."
Hank's face turned stern. "Don't."
Jack rarely saw Hank so serious. Now he was concerned. "Why?"
"Just trust me, Jack. He's not someone to become friendly with. If I were you, I'd follow Gann's lead on this one."
***
Mei-Wan sat at her desk in the Archaeology Lab looking through page after page of information that flashed on the display screen. She was troubled; not by what she heard from Beheer at the reception, but the familiarity of it to something she knew she had come across before. She told herself it was silly to spend time on something like this when she still had packing to finish up, but she couldn't let it go. It gnawed at her and she had to continue her search until she found whatever it was.
Natalie Fowler walked in holding a PADD. "You still in here, Lieutenant?"
Mei-Wan nodded. "Still."
Fowler set the PADD on the desk. "Here's my final review back, and thanks."
"You're a good scientist, Natalie."
"I'm just glad you didn't mention any of my personality flaws."
"Like what?" Mei-Wan asked.
She pointed at her mouth. "Like how I can't keep this thing shut, but shoot it off at every opportunity."
Mei-Wan smiled. "I told you, I'd forgotten about that. Besides you and I have the same problem--- we see something, we have a hard time not saying what we think. A good scientist can keep their mouth shut, a great one can't afford to. The only problem is it causes hell with personal relationships."
"Hopefully on Hel'yra I can work on that."
Mei-Wan almost said 'me too', but she didn't. There was no point in dragging the younger woman into her problems with Jack.
Fowler stared at the display a moment. "Dreamer cults?"
Mei-Wan shrugged her shoulders. "You ever hear about anything like that?"
The ensign thought a moment. "Yeah, somewhere, but it's been a while. Probably a class I had at the Academy."
"I've been through all the texts the Academy uses and haven't found anything yet."
"This related to Hel'yra?" Fowler asked.
"No, just something the Cajmian Chairman said made me wonder."
Natalie nodded. "Well, Nelith and Duarte have transferred over to the Venture already. I thought I'd wait around to go when you do in case you need help with anything."
Mei-Wan smiled. "Thanks. I'm still a day or two from being ready to go."
"That's fine, I'm in no hurry."
***
Jack sat in his Ready Room going over a report from Lee McGuire concerning the Corps of Engineers. They had finally gotten everything out of the Chamberlain's Main Bay and had begun construction on the spacedock that would establish a starbase in orbit of Cajma Six. Now Jack just wished they'd hurry up and get enough of their work done so they could take their personnel off his ship.
The engineers had been far too rowdy for Jack's tastes and for the tastes of the rest of his crew. Two members of the Corps of Engineers troubled Jack the most, but so far he had been able to avoid them. Only a few more days, he told himself, and the two Deltan women would be off his ship.
Akala Wilmarza walked up the steps into the Ready Room and over to Jack's desk. He looked up at her.
"Anything?" he asked.
She took a deep breath and sat down in the chair across from him. "I have never come in contact with a mind that I couldn't sense at least something from, but it was as if Beheer was a corpse."
Jack had been certain Akala would be able to get through the Cajmian's mental defenses. M'naran telepathic abilities were much better than those of Betazoids.
"Is it possible he's using some form of technology to block mind probes?" Jack asked.
"No. There are ways to tell if that were the case. Any time I'm around a machine that does that I tend to get nauseous. It could be that for some reason their species developed mental processes that are so different that I simply don't sense them," she said.
Jack nodded. "I know you were reluctant to do this, so thank you."
"If I had actually gotten to his thoughts I wouldn't have told you anything I found."
"Even if it would keep the Federation out of a war?"
She looked down a moment, but then back to Jack. "No, sir. Even in that case I wouldn't have."
"Are you sure that's the proper point of view for a Starfleet Officer?"
"Do you want me to share what goes on in our sessions with anyone else, even if I were ordered to?" she asked with a grin.
"That's different."
"What if Admiral Simmons were worried about you getting into a situation that might result in war?"
Jack knew she had him. But that didn't mean he had to like it.
"You're right, Counselor," he said with a frown.
She sat silently for several seconds. "Have you thought any more about Robin Nelson and Larissa James?"
Jack leaned back in his chair. "This isn't one of our sessions."
"No, but by asking about them now, I'm not as likely to get whatever prepared response you can come up with."
"I do not prepare responses."
She grinned ever so slightly. "Really?"
Jack hated this. "Okay, maybe once or twice I've thought a little bit about what I might say to you."
"The first admission is always the hardest."
Jack frowned at her. He couldn't stand how she was always a couple of steps ahead of him.
"Well?" she asked.
"Okay, I'm not an idiot, at least I'd like to think I'm not. Aside from their dark blonde hair, Robin and Larissa only looked marginally alike.
Akala raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"You think there's a connection between their deaths."
"You tell me."
He turned his chair away from her and watched the Corps of Engineers away in the distance as they continued their work on the outer frame and spine of the future spacedock. I should have been an engineer.
"Larissa meant a lot to me. She was… the first woman I ever fell in love with, I mean really in love with," he said as he continued watching the tiny workbees and other craft buzz about in space. "It was hard enough seeing her die. It was harder still when I thought of a million ways afterward that her death could have been prevented--- all the things I could have done different. If I had seen the Orion ambush..."
"I've read Hank Evans report of that incident. He stated there was no way anyone could have known what you had walked into."
"Hank was fifty meters away. I was there."
Akala stood. "Captain, no one can see every possibility. Even if you could, all that would do is paralyze you into inaction. And sometimes being too cautious can be worse than being reckless."
